After deciding to follow my true passion and calling, I gave up my job in January 2015 to write full-time as a professional writer. This has been the best decision I could have made, although in the beginning it was unnerving to discover I could arrange my day the way I pleased. It’s a different pace. When I hold a pen (yes, all my drafts are written longhand, to start) I feel an energy, almost palpable in its intensity, transmitting into my entire being so that my mind starts asking questions and my brain replies, you got it – by simply writing. It can be prose or poetry. Both inspire and nourish me. Without writing I feel I would wither away.
Canada has been home for almost forty years. I arrived from India, very young, newly married and felt completely comfortable in a new environment from the very first day. I believe reading and writing helped me vastly. My love for the English language steered me towards a Bachelor of Honours degree in English literature. I am a voracious reader and have been ever since I can remember.
However, during those early years serious writing took a backseat while I busied myself raising a family, upgrading my professional skills and working full-time. Fortunately almost every job I have had, starting with the first as proof-reader for a publishing company, seemed to have something to do with writing. I went on to work in Marketing and Sales designing brochures, writing ads, contributing to journals and newsletters with my career finally culminating in my last position, managing Human Resources. Here I had the wonderful opportunity to mentor staff and volunteers and I must say nothing is more humbling than being told I am an encourager and inspirer.
This takes me to the philanthropic side of my life. My Sari Story and the Bookmark Project in Ethiopia are featured on my page www.facebook.com/purabisinhadas – those were instances that captured my interest thus inspiring me to offer my skills and imagination to that kind of a worthy cause. I am huge on mentoring because I firmly believe we as a community have a lot to give. Each one of us has a talent so why not share it? I have hired and worked alongside co-op students – totally fulfilling – when one of them thanked me for my patience. What? Me? Ask my kids. Seriously, though, these sort of thing fuel my energy. Another time, a volunteer newly arrived to Canada, expressed a desire to work in my office. The individual wanted to learn the administrative side of running an office. But language seemed to be a challenge. Not to worry, I said and suggested writing a journal every night using one alphabet per day incorporating whatever was accomplished that day. At the end of two months this individual was writing fluently, speaking without shyness and smiling with satisfaction. How wonderful!
I find reading and writing poetry great stress relievers. Once a book is read I usually write a review on www.goodreads.com and link it to my Facebook page. Poetry writing is fulfilling and nourishes the soul. I am putting together a book of poetry interspersed with short stories and my quotes.
